26 years ago

PRESCOTT JOURNAL “Where the St. Croix Meets the Mississippi” April 24, 1997 Tragedy on the wing? Time running out on many native bird species If you’re privileged to hear the distinctive call of a Henslow’s sparrow – or perhaps the more “traditional” vocal stylings of a bobolink or eastern meadowlark – listen up. According to a sobering new report from the National Wildlife Federation, Americans may not be hearing or seeing these and other grassland nesting species in the not-so-distant future.

The plight of these and 25 other birds dependent on North America’s disappearing grasslands for survival is detailed in the April/May issue of National Wildlife, a bimonthly publication of the National Wildlife Federation.

Compelling evidence indicates that from Maine to Colorado, many of our grassland bird species are disappearing as fast as the prairie habitats they require for food and nesting sites. The unique listing of grassland bird species “on the edge” compiled by NWF also includes other familiar names, such as the northern harrier, ring-necked pheasant, western meadowlark, short-eared owl, and Savannah sparrow.

How serious is the situation? Statistics in the article, “Twilight of the America’s Grasslands” tell a grim story…( to be concluded next week)”

Thompson Grove starts the process to incorporate! 62 years and one month ago THE REPORTER April 1960 Regarding nitrate content in the water from “THIS AREA,” the Reporter cited the U.S. Public Health Service as noting that Nitrate content isn’t used in the water standard, and that cases of nitrate-caused methemolglobinemia in infants generally involve “concentrations in excess of 50 parts per million nitrate-nitrogen.” The water generated illness, which affects the amount of oxygen delivered to one’s cells, affects infants six months or younger.

Finally, and citing the National Loyalty Day approved July 18, 1958 by then President Dwight Eisenhower, St. Paul Park Mayor William J. Fastner calls on area residents to show their loyalty to the United States on May 1, 1960, in line with Public Law 85-529 of the 85th Congress.

Said law, approved in a joint resolution of Congress as H. J. Resolution 479, called for the 1st of May to be set aside from each year and designated as “Loyalty Day,” with the President authorized to issue a proclamation recognizing the heritage of American Freedom. Pursuant to same, a proclamation was issued April 29, 2022 at the White House by Joseph R. Biden Jr. with reference to Loyalty Day, stating in part that, “On Loyalty Day, we reaffirm our allegiance to the Nation we share and to the principles of freedom, justice, equality, and dignity enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the United States

Constitution.”

The view from across the river 100 years ago THE PRESCOTT JOURNAL April 27, 1922 Prescott Wins At the annual contest of the Mississippi Valley declamatory and oratorical contest held here last Friday evening, Harry Snyder and Miss Hazel Price won first place, with Chas. Howe and Miss Lillian Norris of Maiden Rock ranking second. The first two will take part in the contest to be held at River Falls next month, to select winners for the State meet to be held later. We hope to see our home representatives again victorious.

127 years ago THE STILLWATER MIRROR May 3, 1894 Motto: “It is never too late to mend.”

Society Needs Us Can we become Useful Members Thereof After being Behind the Bars?

This paper derives its title from what was said recently in Bible class. The statement was made, that society was incomplete without our aid, and to illustrate his remarks, the speaker produced his watch, and said that it would not be complete, or a success, if one of the smallest screws was taken out.

The statement is perfectly true, but is liable to be misunderstood. So it is with society: it is incomplete without our aid. This may seem a very peculiar statement to some individuals here; nevertheless, it is in no way misrepresented, and is qualified to attract attention, and entitled to be considered by one and all present, some of whom may be able to produce a good idea, which ultimately may tend to an improvement in society affairs.

Elsewhere: A perusal of the daily record of crime as set forth by the press for the delectation of their readers would almost convince one that a modern Diogenes with an electric search light would have considerable difficulty in finding an honest man—outside of prison. (Papers at the time often put crime on the front page in dreadful detail).

French Canadian in the Twin Cities 136 years ago ECHO DE L’OUEST (Western Echo) Minneapolis, Minnesota Achillle F. Carrier, Redacteur May 13, 1886 (No May 6 issue) DECES In this city on the fourth, at the age of 18 months, Felix N. Armeau, infant son of L. N. Armeau.

Segelbaum Brothers Corner of Nicollet Avenue and Third Street It is positively certain that we have never (nous n’avons jamais) displayed a more enticing and considerable assortment within the department than at this time.

Spring merchandise In great number and variety Clothing fabrics Shuttle-woven velvet, curled sheets, imported goods, etc.

Local news The St. Joseph Society will celebrate its patronal feast next Sunday at the church of Our Lady of Lourdes.

The society has made enormous preparations for this celebration…This association does an honor to our nationality and is an excellent proof of the spirit of union and agreement that reigns among the French Canadians of Minneapolis.

A letter from the bishop! St. Paul, April 29, 1886 Reverend and dear father, I desire to bring your attention, and by your intermediation the attention of your parishioners on their respective parish responsibilities. It having been 10 years, we have judged it wise and necessary to divide the French catholic population of Minneapolis into two parishes.

We do not have, in our view, another way of providing for your religious needs.

A great number of families reside at a great distance from the church of Our Lady of Lourdes, being exposed to the danger of neglecting Sunday Mass attendance, and their infants being deprived of the benefits of religious instruction in the parish catechism.

We have, moreover, the occasion of once again proving the profound interest that we carry for the spiritual and temporal prosperity of our French language members.

(territory divided into parishes of Our Lady of Lourdes and Ste. Clotilde, one to the east, the other west of the River.. Call for loyalty to decision and consideration of inevitable challenges ahead) You do well, Reverend and dear father, to read this letter to your people, next Sunday, at all the Masses.

Yours devotedly in our Lord, John Ireland, Bishop of St. Paul May 3, 1886 Territorial Dispatches 170 years ago THE DAKOTA FRIEND/ DAKOTA TAWAXITKU KIN Editor Gideon E. Pond August 1852/Imnija Skadan, Wi, ici 8, 1852 Ruth Chapter I. 1. Wicaxta wokcan oyate wicayuhapi qon, he ehen, Juda makoce kin en wicaakiran. Unkan wicaxta wan, tawicu, cihintku non pa hena om, Bethlehem otonwe hetanhan ya ca Moab mokoce hin he ekta e un kta.

Christianity. A modern writer says, “Christianity, found the heathen world without a single house of mercy. Search the Byzantine Chronicles, and the pages of Publius Victor; and through the one describes all the public edifices of ancient Constantinople, and the other that of ancient Rome, not a word is to be found in either, of a charitable institution.*… The first individual known to have built a hospital for the poor, was a Christian widow. Search the lexicons for interpreting the ancient Greek authors, and you will not find even the names which Divine Christianity wanted by which to designate her houses of charity.— she had to invent them. Language had never been called on to embody such conceptions of mercy. All the asylums of earth belong to her.”

*Note: This is partly corroborated by a remark attributed to Julian the Apostate, who is said to have complained to the effect that Christians took care of pagans in addition to their own followers. The Greek Aristotle, who lived before Christ, postulated in contrast that society was divided into naturally “civilized” and uncivilized elements, these ideas later used in colonial societies like that of Spain. to justify existing and persistent social distinctions. U.S. colonial society made a similar attempt at justification of existing distinctions, although it used quasi-Biblical arguments from Genesis, in place of Aristotle.

Sketch of Joseph Renville, a “bois brule” and early trader of Minnesota.

For the Dakota Friend and the Minnesota Historical Society.

The opening of the fur trade of the North-west, under the patronage of Louis the Fourteenth, tended to bring into existence a peculiar race of men, called “coureurs des bois” (literally “forest runners”). Many of the wild and adventurous spirits of sunny France, tired of the “ancient regime” tempted by the dangers incident to the employment of collecting furs and the freedom from all restraint, hastened in frail birch canoes, down rapids, and over lakes to the haunts of the bison and beaver. The unbridled zeal of the trader has ever made him the pioneer of the ecclesiastic.

As early as 1660, two traders had penetrated the “Incognita Terra” (unknown land) beyond Lake Superior, and were the first Europeans, that ever saw the Dakotas. It was a trader, the noble hearted La Salle, who sent Hennepin and his comrades on an exploring tour upon the Mississippi, and they had been but a short time among the Dakotas, who dwelt upon the shores of Mille Lac, and the streams which flow therefrom, before Sieur du Luth and other voyageurs arrived with a trading outfit from Lake Superior.

As early as 1695, the canoe laden with trinkets, tobacco, and knives had entered the Minnesota, or “sky-colored” river, and in 1700 trading houses were erected on the banks of the Mankato or Blue Earth,-and on an island below the St. Croix, and about that time the enterprising Perrot, had built a fort at the entrance of Lake Pepin. The father of him, whom we purpose to sketch, was in all probability born before some of the first explorers of this Territory had entered “that bourne from whence no traveller returns.”

As age began to stiffen the joints of the once supple voyageur, he naturally felt the want of some resting place and companion, to cheer him in his declining years.

Estranged from early associations, he did not hesitate to conform (to native customs), and he purchased a wife, to hoe his corn, to mend his mocassins, and tend the lodge-fire, and to cook the game, which he would bring home at night. The offspring of this alliance, have become a numerous and interesting class in America, and have often exercised more sway in Indian affairs than chiefs.

Joseph Renville was of mixed descent, and his history forms a link between the past and the present history of Minnesota.

His father was a French trader of much reputation. His mother was a Dakota, connected with some of the principal men of the Kaposia band. He was born just below the town of St. Paul, about the year 1779, during the war of the American Revolution.

At that time, there were probably not more than six white families residing in the whole of that vast territory, which now comprises Northern Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota.

Accustomed to see no European countenance, but that of his father, in sports, habits, and feelings, he was a full Dakota youth.

As often happens, his mother deserted her husband, and went to live with one of her own blood. The father noticing the activity of his son’s mind, took him to Canada, before he was ten years of age, and placed him under the tuition of a Priest of Rome. His instructor appears to have been both a kind and good man, and from him, he obtained a slight knowledge of the French language, and the elements of the Christian religion.

Before he attained to manhood, he was brought back to the Dakota land, and was called to mourn the death of his father.

At that time, there was a British officer by the name of Dickson, who lived in what is now Minnesota, who was in the employ of an English Fur Company. Knowing that young Renville was energetic, he employed him as a “coureur des bois.” While a mere stripling, he had guided his canoe from the Falls of Pokeguma, to the Falls of St. Anthony, and followed the trails from Mendota to the Missouri. He knew by heart the legends of Winona, and Ampato Sapawin, an Hogan -wanke-kin…(to be continued)